Just like trees, shrubs, when they are properly planted, will not only look nice in your yard, but they can actually increase your home’s value if you ever decide to sell. The problem many people have when it comes time to incorporate shrubs into their landscape is trying to decide what type of shrub they should choose. Since there are literally thousands of different kinds of shrubs in the world, the confusion is perfectly understandable.
Deciduous or Evergreen
The first thing you should decide when you are choosing a shrub is whether you should use evergreen or deciduous shrubs. Like conifer trees keep their needles year round. Evergreen shrubs are nice because they don’t create as much mess as deciduous shrubs and they also make a really nice windbreak in the winter. Deciduous shrubs on the other hand are lovely when they bloom and most change colors in the autumn.
Lilac Bushes
One of the most popular lawn shrubs is the lilacs. This shrubs dark foliage always looks nice and in the winter the skeletal shape of its branches can make for some truly spectacular photographs, but the time of year when the lilac is truly spectacular is in the middle of the spring when it is in full bloom. There is very little more pleasurable than sitting outside on a warm spring nigh breathing in air that has been perfumed with the scent of lilac. The most common type of lilac is the one with purple blooms but you can choose from over a hundred different varieties, including reddish-lilac, white, bluish-lilac, and pinkish-lilac.
The Boxwood
Just like the lilac is one of the most popular deciduous shrubs, the boxwood is a favorite evergreen. If you aren’t vigilant about pruning your boxwood shrubs they can grow to be twenty feet tall. The boxwood shrub looks best when it is kept pruned into a nice round shape. Most people like to use boxwood shrubs to lay paths and driveways.
Rhododendrons and Azaleas
If you have a yard that gets a great deal of shade, you should consider getting azaleas or rhododendrons. Both of these shrubs do best when they don’t get large amounts of direct sunlight. Both of these shrubs are very hardy and have stunning blossoms.
The type of soil you have will influence your choice of shrub as much as your landscaping. If you have soil that has a high content of lime you should stay away from Rhododendrons, Everestianum, Abraham Lincoln and Lady Armstrong, Caractacus, and the Boule de neige. If you absolutely have your heart set on one of these plants than you are going to have to treat your yard with a generous dose of hummus in order to keep them safe from winter burn.
The rhododendron shrub photo is from daphneann’s photostream.
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